The faces of the missing children in Florida are a constant reminder of the mission for law enforcement officers: Bring each and every one of them home.

On Monday, the families of 17 children solemnly laid flowers on photos of their loved ones who were missing during Florida Missing Children’s Day.

Florida Department of Law Enforcement Commissioner Rick Swearingen lauded the work of investigators around the state.

In 2017, there were 32,000 children reported missing. Officials issued 51 Missing Child Alerts and 11 Amber alerts, 14 of which were recovered as a result.

“Though Missing Children’s Day serves as a day of remembrance, it also serves as a day of hope,” Swearingen said. “It’s a day to recognize how Floridians are fighting to bring the missing children home and make child abduction a thing of the past.”

The annual event has been held at the Florida Capitol for the past 20 years. Each year families of missing children place flowers near photos of their loved ones in a solemn ceremony.

It serves as a reminder to them that law enforcement will never give up, said Leon County Sheriff Walt McNeil.

“It sends a statement to the families that we in law enforcement, we don’t ever give up,” McNeil said following the ceremony. “We will continue to do everything we can to bring these kids home.

“Some perhaps we won’t ever bring home, but we have to keep hope. These families need that.”

Contact Karl Etters at ketters@tallahassee.com or @KarlEtters on Twitter.